Neighborhood environment and muscle mass and function among rural older adults: a 3-year longitudinal study

Abstract

Background Sarcopenia, resulting from loss of muscle mass and function, is highly prevalent in the ageing societies and is associated with risk of falls, frailty, loss of independence, and mortality. It is important to identify environmental risk factors, so that evidence-based interventions to prevent sarcopenia can be implemented at the population level. This study aimed to examine the potential effect of several objectively measured neighborhood environmental factors on longitudinal change of muscle mass and function among older adults living in rural Japanese towns where the population is ageing. Methods This study was based on data from the Shimane CoHRE Study conducted by the Center for Community-based Healthcare Research and Education (CoHRE) at Shimane University in 3 rural towns in the Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Subjects older than 60 years, who participated in an annual health examination in 2016 and any follow-up years until 2019, i.e., 4 possible time points in total, were included (n = 2526). The skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) and grip strength were assessed objectively for each year as a measure of muscle mass and function, respectively. Neighborhood environmental factors, i.e., hilliness, bus stop density, intersection density, residential density, and distance to a community center were measured by geographic information systems (GIS). Linear mixed models were applied to examine the potential effect of each neighborhood environmental factor on the change of SMI and grip strength over time. Results Males living far from community centers had a less pronounced decline in SMI compared to those living close to community centers. Females living in areas with higher residential density had a less pronounced decline in grip strength compared to those living in areas with lower residential density. Conclusions Neighborhood environmental factors had limited effects on change of SMI and grip strength among rural older adults within the 3 years follow up. Further long-term follow up studies are necessary by also taking into account other modifiable neighborhood environmental factors.

Car Driving Status and Living Arrangement Associated with Sarcopenia among Rural Japanese Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…For example, a longitudinal study found that availability of both health-damaging resource, i.e., availability to the fast-food restaurants was predictor of both coronary heart disease and stroke [ 16 ]. Comparatively little research has examined the association between neighborhood environments and sarcopenia [ 17 , 18 , 19 ]. It is possible that the risk of sarcopenia could be decreased beyond the inconvenience of transportation if older adults who live alone are able to access health-promoting resources, e.g., food shops [ 20 ].…”

The Effects of Neighborhood Physical and Social Environment on Physical Function among Japanese Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A One-Year Longitudinal Study

“…Given the differences in cultural backgrounds between Western and Asian countries, recent studies conducted in Japan [21][22][23], China [24], and South Korea [25][26][27] have provided perspectives from the Asian region. Of these studies, one has examined the relationship between neighborhood physical and social environments and physical function [26].…”

Association between a hilly neighborhood environment and falls among rural older adults: a cross-sectional study

“…There is a dearth of epidemiological studies in rural environments, particularly those related to older residents thereof, although the older population tends to account for a greater percentage of the population of these areas than the national average in countries worldwide 23 ) . In Japan, it is rare for the scope of gerontological research on the characteristics of neighborhood living environment to be limited exclusively to urban areas; rural areas are included in most studies 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 ) . These studies have identified several environmental factors, including access to public transportation, altitude, residential density, and land slope, which were found to be associated to varying degrees with physical activity and functioning, weight change, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 ) .…”

“…In Japan, it is rare for the scope of gerontological research on the characteristics of neighborhood living environment to be limited exclusively to urban areas; rural areas are included in most studies 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 ) . These studies have identified several environmental factors, including access to public transportation, altitude, residential density, and land slope, which were found to be associated to varying degrees with physical activity and functioning, weight change, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 ) .…”

“…Steep terrain is an intrinsic quality of Japan’s geography that creates hilly neighborhoods, especially in rural parts of the country 34 ) , thus making it critically important to identify environmental factors in these regions that predispose individuals to falling and threaten the lives of older residents. Several previous studies in Japan have reported the potential for a rural hilly neighborhood environment to influence health outcomes, but its association with falls in older adults has not been clarified 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 ) . This study aimed to explore the associations between hilly neighborhood environmental factors and falls in a Japanese population of rural older adults using a cross-sectional study design.…”